


I am not lost, I am exploring

by fakevermeer



Category: Football RPF
Genre: Bundesliga, Drabble Collection, FC Bayern München, First Kiss, German Football, Hurt/Comfort, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-23
Updated: 2017-01-23
Packaged: 2018-09-19 12:38:44
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,247
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9440807
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fakevermeer/pseuds/fakevermeer
Summary: A series of stand-alone Joshua/Manuel drabbles I'm working on to ease myself back into a regular writing practice. Each chapter is a drabble. Sometimes it’s Manu’s POV, sometimes it’s Joshua’s, sometimes there’s porn, sometimes there isn’t. Enjoy, and let me know if you have any requests!





	1. I. The One With The Bandaged Hand

Joshua knew the second something was up. Even if the others seemed reassured by the way Manu brushed them off, refused medical attention right then and there on the pitch, goaded all of them back into the game by shouting at them gruffly, as he always did - even if Manu pretended he was absolutely fine, Joshua _knew_.

The way the ball had hit Manu’s hands, the way he’d grit his teeth right after, God, the _speed_ with which that ball had come in… But they were in the middle of a game, Manu insisted he was fine, so  Joshua couldn’t do anything but play on and hope for the best. That didn’t mean he wasn’t worried sick, though.

During a corner for the opposing team, Joshua saw his chance. Positioning himself right next to Manu, who was calling out instructions to specific players (“Xabi, don’t jump! Jérôme, to the right!”), Joshua pounced as the referee was fussing over the exact position of the ball near the corner area.

“What’s up with your hand?” he hissed at Manu, careful to not let the others hear.

“What? Nothing.”

“You’re favouring your left.”

“So?”

“You’re right-handed.”

“Shut up and focus on the game.”

As the ball was sent flying straight into Manu’s hands, Joshua couldn’t help but notice the way Manu’s jaw tightened. He thought he could hear the goalkeeper swear under his breath as Joshua ran off to rejoin the game. He looked up at one of the huge screens - ten more minutes to play.

 

*

 

“What’s the verdict?” Philipp asked as Manu walked into the hotel lobby later that night. He’d been off to the local hospital to get some x-rays taken (“Just to make sure everything’s fine,” he’d told Joshua earlier). 

Most of the guys had already gone to their rooms, but Joshua, Philipp, and Thomas had decided to stay downstairs and wait for Manu to get back.

Manu held up his right hand which was heavily bandaged. Joshua raised his eyebrows.

“It looks worse than it is,” Manu said, flopping down on the couch next to Joshua. “Didn’t break anything.”

“Nah, just severely sprained,” Thomas said, grinning widely at him and showing him his phone. “It’s all over the internet, dude. Official statement’s just gone out.”

“I’ll be fine.”

“Right!” Thomas said, putting his phone away and jumping up from the huge chair he’d been lounging in. “Bedtime for me. Come on, Fips.” He basically dragged Philipp out of his own chair, the captain protesting mildly.

“It’s not bedtime for _me_ , grandpa,” Joshua could hear him muttering as Thomas dragged him away. “Just because you wanna play matchmaker…”

Joshua tried to ignore that last bit, and sincerely hoped Manu hadn’t heard it, either. He shifted around a little bit on the couch and looked at Manu’s hand. Manu was stretching his fingers gingerly, feeling the bandages with his uninjured hand.

“I was right,” Joshua said softly.

Manu snorted. “Yep.”

“Does it hurt?”

“Nah.”

A short silence followed. Manu kept poking the bandages, like that would make them magically disappear. Then, he blurted out:

“Okay fine, yes, it hurts. It hurts like a motherfucker, and they already gave me way too many painkillers at the hospital and it _still_ hurts and I just want these bandages _off_ already -“

He stopped talking when Joshua carefully took the bandaged hand in his own and brought it to his lips. He pressed a feather-light kiss on the blueish tips of the fingers that were peeking out of the bandage.

Joshua looked up and saw Manu stare at him.

“Okay?” he whispered.

Manu nodded slowly.

Joshua put the bandaged hand in Manu’s lap and leaned forward, cradling Manu’s head in his hands and bringing it towards him to kiss him carefully.

Although he had hoped for a positive response, he couldn’t’ve dreamed up the way Manu’s lips would go pliant under his own, the way he would open up to him so easily. Joshua softly opened his mouth against Manu’s and let their tongues slide together slowly, languidly, enjoying every microscopic movement and different sensation. Joshua slid his hand up into Manu’s short hair and raked over the scalp softly.

After a while, Joshua pulled back, his heart in his throat and his breathing a little erratic - but so was Manu’s.

“That was -“ Joshua breathed out, staring at Manu’s lips.

“Yeah.”

Manu had snaked his left hand down Joshua’s chest and had let it come to rest on his hip, where the weight was comfortable and soothing. His bandaged hand was still resting in his lap.

“How’s your hand now?”

Manu chuckled softly. “A lot better, thanks.”

“Good.” Joshua carefully got up and held out his hand for Manu to take. “Come on. You need to sleep and you’ll be good as new in no time.”


	2. II. The One Where Manu Gets Protective

It happened in the blink of an eye. 

One second, Manu was focused on the game going on halfway up the pitch, keeping an eye on the ball and adjusting his position accordingly. The next, he was pushing away three Schalke players simultaneously while trying to get to Joshua. 

Joshua, who was _down_. 

Manu couldn’t see his face, but the tackle that had been used to bring him down had been hard. _Very_ hard. And very much not on the ball, whatever the opposition might be claiming.

“Get out of my way,” he growled, as he tried to wriggle out of the grip of one very persistent hand that was clamped around his wrist.

“Manu,” a familiar voice urged, “ _Manu_. Come on. Let’s go.”

That’s when Manu realised the hand around his wrist belonged to Philipp Lahm, who had his other hand spread out against Manu’s chest, pushing him away from the commotion. 

Manu focused on Philipp’s face - his eyes seemed kind but Manu knew Philipp, had known him for a long time now. He knew how to look past that first emotion, and he saw the same anger that had flared up inside him when he saw how Joshua had been brought down. He let Philipp lead him away from the other players, as a pair of physiotherapists finally reached Joshua.

“Is he okay?” Manu asked, his voice gruff.

Philipp tentatively released him, and the both of them stood there watching from a distance as the referee held up a red card at the offending Schalke player. Most of their teammates had spread out across the pitch again, as the therapists were doing their job. 

“I’m sure he will be fine,” Philipp reassured him, and as he said it, Joshua sat up, trying to stand while the physiotherapists were still fussing over him. It was obvious he was trying to reassure them he was fine and didn’t need any further attention. As the therapists trotted off, Manu saw how Joshua rubbed his knee and shook out his leg. He seemed fine otherwise.

“You okay?” Philipp asked.

“Yeah.”

“Focused?” 

Manu cleared his throat and cracked his neck.

“Yes.” 

“Good. He’s fine,” Philipp added, squeezing Manu’s arm reassuringly as he ran off to his own position again.

Before Manu turned around to sprint back to his goal, he caught Joshua’s eye. The young midfielder smiled at him, and it was a knowing smile, Manu thought. Joshua put his thumbs up at Manu and the smile turned into a grin before he turned around and ran back up the pitch.

Manu chuckled and turned around, more determined than ever to stop whatever Schalke would throw his way.


End file.
